Nightlock: The Taste Of Blood
by Cinna and his Clothes
Summary: This is a story of Foxface's experience in the 74th annual Hunger Games, in her POV. I couldn't decide whether to do the original version or the version where she commits suicide, so I sort of did both! This is my first fic, so don't be too harsh! Reviews would be appreciated!
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

**I awaken to the sound of voices. My mother and younger sister, Rouge, are talking in the kitchen. By the sound of it, Rouge is crying. I only have to hear a few words from my mother to know why. **

**'Darling! It will be okay! Your name is only in there once.' I should have known. It's Rouge's first reaping. Our family is well off, and have no need to apply for tesserae, so Rouge has hardly anything to worry about. But I know that if she does get chosen, I will have to volunteer. Not because everyone is expecting me to, but because I know that Rouge would not last a minute in the Games, and I could never let her enter that arena. Still, I dread the reaping. I have watched the Games every year since I was eight, the year my mother told me about them. **

**I get up and walk into the kitchen. Sure enough, Rouge is there, sniffling into a tissue. 'Morning Marina honey!' My mother greets me. She silently indicates Rouge and mouths the word 'Reaping'. I nod and kneel down in front of the chair that Rouge is sitting on. My mother gets up and briskly walks out of the room, saying she is going to wake up father. **

**'Rouge.' I whisper. She doesn't look up.**

**'Rouge!' I say more loudly. She looks into my eyes. **

**'Marina, what if I get chosen? For the reaping?' She asks. **

**'You won't get chosen Rouge, you won't.' **

**'Yes, but what if I do Marina? What then?' She insists. I look through the doorway to make sure no one but Rouge is in ear shot. I tell her something she was only going to find out if she got chosen.**

**'Then I will volunteer for you.' **

**The effect is immediate. **

**'No!' Rouge shouts! 'Marina you can't!' **

**'Ssshhhhh! Quiet down Rouge! Mother and father can't find out!' I whisper.**

**'I will not quiet down; in fact I will go and tell mother and father, unless you promise not to!' I'm trapped. If mother and father find out, well, I'm not sure what they'd do. Something horrible, definitely. But if I say I won't, and then Rouge gets chosen… I finally decide what I'm going to do. Something I have never done to Rouge in her life. Lie to her. 'Fine Rouge! Fine! I promise I won't volunteer for you!' Rouge stops screaming and again begins to shake with silent tears. She buries her face in my shoulder and sobs and sobs, until she seems to have no more tears left. She then asks me a question.**

**'Marina, what will you do if you get chosen?' The question takes me by surprise, and I realise that she has a fair point. I've been so preoccupied with thinking about if Rouge gets chosen, that I've forgotten that there is more chance of my name getting drawn. My name is in there 4 times, because I'm fifteen, so it is still highly unlikely for my name to get drawn, but there is still a chance. My stomach is filled with butterflies at the thought of Harold Barber, the man who draws out the names for our district each year, pulling out a slip of paper from the reaping ball and saying "Marina Trenche!" The truth is, I don't know what I'd do. I would just think "Goodbye life, I am going to the 74****th**** Hunger Games where I will be slaughtered for the Capitol's entertainment". Just thinking of how the Capitol puts 12 girls and 12 boys in an outdoor arena and watches them kill each other for their own personal entertainment makes my face grow hot. **

**'Marina?' Rouge interrupts me from my thoughts. 'You never answered my question. What will you do if you get chosen?' I decide not to tell Rouge about how I truly feel, and act calm. **

**'Well, if I get chosen, I will just accept it and try my hardest to win, so I could come back home.'**

** Mother and father walk in. Mother rushes over to the stove, where a pot of porridge has been cooking. Father sits down at the table and reads his book, which happens to be titled "The Hunger Within". I think it's about how the Hunger Games started. Mother scoops the porridge evenly into 4 bowls, and sets them down on the table. **

**'Eat up while it's still hot.' Mother beckons us to the table. We take our places at the table, Rouge and I on one side, Mother and Father on the other. I feel too nervous to eat anything really, but when I realise that Rouge is not eating either, I pick up my spoon and shovel the mixture into my mouth, hoping that Rouge will follow. It has a dry, burnt taste to it, and all I really want to do is spit it out, but I see that Rouge is watching me, so I force myself to swallow. After a few mouthfuls, I see that Rouge is still not eating, so I let my spoon clatter noisily into my bowl, and push it away from the edge of the table.**

**'Rouge and I ought to go and get ready for the reaping,' I say. 'We've only got an hour and a half until we have to be in the square.' **

**'Goodness! Is it ten thirty already?' My Mother cries. 'Yes! Go and get ready! I'll come in and help you soon.'**

**Rouge and I walk to the bedroom we share in silence. When we get there, without hesitation, I open up the cupboard door, and pull out the outfit mother bought for Rouge. It's a pretty orange frock, with a ribbon to tie around her back. I lay it on the bed and then pull out her shiny orange ballerina shoes that are lined with silk on the outside. Even for us this is worth a lot of money, but my mother wants us to look our best, so she buys us each a new reaping dress every 2 years, starting when we are 12, and ending when we are 18. So of course this year, I will have to wear the same dress as last year, seeing as I am 15. I take Rouge to the bathroom and fill the bath with lukewarm water. It doesn't take long, since we have an extremely shallow bath, but we have very limited hot water so our baths are usually quite cold, which is why we only ever bath in warm weather. **

**'You don't have to stay while I bath, Marina,' says Rouge.**

**'Okay.' I respond. So I just help her undress, pull out a towel for her to dry herself with when she's done, and hand her a hairbrush to get the knots out of her hair. **

**'If you need anything, just call out.' I tell her. I then hurry back to our room, where I open the cupboard, and delve deep into the basket of reaping clothes, until I find the one from last year. It's a lovely velvet green dress, and when you look at it, it reminds you of rolling summer hills like the ones on the outskirts of District 5. I have black leather boots which go all the way to my knees, but are mostly covered by the dress. I lay it down next to Rouge's reaping dress and shoes, and walk back to the bathroom.**

** On the way, I think about how different Rouge and I are. Rouge is a natural beauty, with her wavy light brown hair and dark complexion. I, on the other hand, have straight, blunt, carrot-coloured hair and pale skin. Some kids at school call me Foxy or Fox girl because my face looks a bit like a sly fox's. The only thing Rouge and I have in common is our bright green eyes. Most people say they look stunning and flawless, which pleases me because it's the only time anyone ever says anything nice about my looks. The thing is, most people, including me, think that our names should be swapped. Marina suits Rouge's beautiful hair that sways down her back like a mermaid, and Rouge suits my orange hair and pale skin. **

**I am halfway to the bathroom when I bump into Rouge walking back to the bedroom wrapped in a towel. **

**'I was just about to come and look for you!' I say and poke her in the ribs. She giggles and squirms.**

**'That tickles!' We walk back to the bedroom together trying to tickle each other, and when we get there, Mother is standing in the doorway. **

**'Come on girls! No time for games today!' I start helping Rouge get dressed, but Mother waves me out the door.**

**'Don't worry, I'll sort out Rouge, you go and get yourself washed.' Mother orders me. I walk to the bathroom and feel happy that Rouge hasn't drained it yet, so I don't have to run a whole new bath. I undress and slip into the water. It's so cold that I just want to get out, but I make myself lie down and submerge myself completely before sitting back up and brushing the knots out of my hair. **

**I walk, hand in hand with Rouge, to the square. The sun is fully up and shines in our faces as we kiss Mother and Father goodbye and enter the roped off area for all girls between the ages of 12 and 18. Younger girls, like Rouge, go to the back, and older girls to the front. I am smack dead in the middle, next to a girl who I think is named Abigail who goes to school with me, and another girl who also goes to my school named Phillipa. I look behind me to see if I can see Rouge, but even in her bright dress she is hidden by the crowd of girls standing in front of her. Harold Barber stands up the front, looking even more funny than last year, with bright green hair and matching lipstick. Sitting on the chairs next to him is Mayor Tobey, Josephine Summers, who won the Hunger Games about 20 years ago and will be mentoring the girl tribute from District 5 this year, Savannah Han, who also won the Hunger Games 14 years ago, and will be helping mentor the girl tribute, plus Dean Selma, Seth Oprah and Yvan Mitchells, who all won the Hunger Games at some point during their life and would be mentoring the boy tribute from District 5 this year. These are the only victors from district 5. The first time we won the games was the 42****nd**** Games and that was Seth Oprah. Harold stands up and says into the microphone **

**'Hello, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the District 5 reaping for the 74****th**** annual Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favour!' There is lots of applause, but the only people that really clap as though they mean it is the ones we call "Betters" because they take bets on which kids will be chosen, whether they will win or die, how they will die and so on. The audience becomes silent as Harold begins to speak again.**

**'Let's do ladies first.' My heart hammered inside my chest for Rouge and for me. **

**'The female tribute to represent District 5 for the 74****th**** annual Hunger Games is...' He takes some time to grab on to a slip of paper in the reaping ball. By this time I feel as though I could vomit. Harold takes a breath about to say the name…**

**'Marina Trenche!' The world suddenly starts to spin and I feel myself tilting forward towards the ground. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Someone is holding me. I open my eyes to see the face of a girl who I don't know but her face seems familiar so I think she must go to school with me. I hear a sobbing sound behind me, and I know who it is without looking around. Rouge. Who else would be crying their eyes out for me? I have no friends to volunteer for me, and I know Rouge won't. I don't want her to anyway. **

'**Ah! There she is! You've got pretty orange hair, don't you girlie? Come on up to victory!' I've never really listened to what Harold says after a tribute is chosen; I've been too busy trying to catch a glimpse of the poor boy or girl who awaits their death. But now I'm listening. And the things he is saying are far from true. Victory? I'm likely to die in the first five minutes. I've got no experience in fighting at all, I can hardly touch a knife, I can't throw a spear five centimetres and I don't know how to hold a bow and arrow. And they're expecting me to win? **

'**What are you doing girl? Come up and shine in the spotlight!' Harold bellows into the microphone. Peacekeepers in their white uniforms grab me roughly and drag me to the edge of the stage. I slowly walk up the steps and position myself on the wooden block that is there for the female tribute to stand on. A whisper is passed through the crowd, as people recognise my face.**

'**Oh it's Fox girl!'**

'**I know her!'**

'**How old is she again? 14?'**

'**She's Rouge's big sister, you know Rouge don't you?'**

'**I think Foxy suits her better than Marina!' I just want them to be quiet, because they're making my tears threaten to spill over. Can't he just get on with the boy tribute? But no, he has to go on.  
'Well congratulations Marina! You do look very nice in that green dress of yours, and it matches my hair perfectly!' I want to point out that my dress is a considerably darker shade of green than his hair, but I don't think I can open my mouth without bursting into tears or vomiting. **

'**Well let's give it up for our female tribute in the 74****th**** annual Hunger Games, Marina Trenche!' The applause is haunting. It is loud enough, but there's something about it that makes the air feel cold. I watch as Harold walks over to the male reaping ball. **

'**And now, who is the brave young lad that will go with Marina to the Capitol to bring this district pride?' Asks Harold brightly, as though District 5 has a very high chance of winning, which I know is not true. **

'**The male tribute to represent district 5 in the 74****th**** annual Hunger Games is…' He reaches in and pulls out a slip of paper.**

'**Thiago ****Crawford!' He calls in his annoyingly chipper voice. I know that name. I'm sure I know that name. When I see the boy that the Peacekeepers are dragging to the stage I realise why. It's the brother of the little boy my mother looks after on Fridays. Their mother passed away two years ago, and their father works very late on Friday nights so he pays my mother to look after 10-year-old Alan Crawford. Most of the time Thiago comes to drop off his little brother, and on occasion he hangs around for a while and talks to me while Rouge and Alan run wild around the house. He's not as close as a friend but he is one of the only people who I don't have to call stranger. He walks up onto the stage, looking the same as always with his dark scruffy hair, bushy black eyebrows and golden-brown skin. He looks the same as I feel; horrid, scared and terribly sad. He walks up onto the stage slowly and positions himself on the wooden block for the male tribute. **

'**Congratulations Thiago! I'm sure you will both do our district proud in the Capitol!' Harold says as though it is an immense privilege to be entered in the Games. **

'**Please shake hands Marina and Thiago.' He pushes us a little closer together.**

**I extend my hand and it meets his, we shake and then it seems as soon as I've let go, the Peacekeepers have grabbed me and are dragging me off the stage into the Justice Building. **

**I enter the Justice building and gasp. I am in a small room, about the size of our kitchen and dining area at home. There are couches draped with silk and scattered with velvet cushions. A beautiful crystal chandelier reflects light across the room. I go over to examine a pretty painting of a rose garden hanging above the largest couch which is positioned along the left wall. I run my fingers lightly along the edge of the wooden frame, when suddenly I am jolted away as a Peacekeeper bursts into the room.**

'**Do not touch those paintings! They were painted by Ursula Flink!' She snarls at me as though I should have any idea who Ursula Flink is.**

'**I wasn't touching the painting I was touching the frame!' I inform her. She ignores me but I see hatred in her eyes. **

'**You have three minutes, and if you want to try cheek with me, then I'll make it two.' She smiles a cold, bitter smile and stalks out of the room. I can't stop the tears from falling as Rouge, mother and father enter. Rouge runs straight for me and I embrace her in silence. **

'**I should have volunteered.' She whispers as I hug her.**

'**No, I would never forgive you if you did.' I tell her. We break apart and I walk over to mother and father. **

'**I'll miss you,' is all I can bring myself to say.**

'**We love you so much Marina, and we'll never forget you.' I launch into both my parents arms at the same time. They kiss me on the top of the head. Rouge walks over to me and says;**

'**You can win this if you really try.' I stare at her in disbelief. I am about to say "No, Rouge, I can try, but I will never win", but I see her hopeful face and change my words.**

'**I will really try Rouge, I will.' Then the Peacekeepers are dragging us apart and Rouge is screaming with hysterical sobs and my mother is trying to yell something at me but I can't hear what and then the door shuts with a bang and I am all alone and almost certainly never going to see my family again. **

**After about ten minutes of waiting in silence, a Peacekeeper, fortunately not the one that came in before, comes in and informs me that it is time to go to the train station. I quickly rub my eyes with my dress. I am sure there will be loads of cameras at the train station and other tributes often look at the weak ones like they're a meal. Crying will definitely make me look like an easy target, so I say I am thirsty and when a Peacekeeper hurries off and comes back with a cup of water I splash some on my face and dry it on my dress. When we approach the carriage, I see that Thiago is already sitting down next to Harold Barber. I climb in and sit down on the other side of Harold Barber.**

'**Ah! There you are Marina! We were beginning to get worried that the Peacekeepers had held you up!' Harold greets me as the carriage begins to bump down the road in the direction of the train station. I have only been in a carriage a once, when mother and father were getting married. It wasn't anything that luxurious, just a small wooden carriage with two horses and a driver. This is different. This is a huge, sparkling silver painted carriage made out of something I can't put a name to. Four tall horses with shiny white coats pull it along. I can't even begin to imagine what the Capitol will be like, but I see it regularly on television so I have a vague idea. **

**After about fifteen minutes of depressing silence, we pull into the District 5 train station. As I suspected, the station is swarming with camera crews trying to get a glimpse of our faces as we enter the train that appears to be floating in mid-air, but Harold explains to us that the wheels are completely transparent so they appear invisible. Apparently as well as making it look very sophisticated, it also makes the train feel as though it's hardly moving from the inside. I step inside the train and my jaw drops open. If I thought that the room inside the Justice building was grand, it hardly prepared me for this. Crystal chandeliers line the ceiling, but three times as big as the one in the Justice Building, and the pieces of crystal that make it up are carved into eccentric designs such as birds and flowers. The carpet beneath my feet is a pretty light blue colour and feels bouncy and when I reach down to feel it, I find that it is incredibly soft. **

'**Wow!' Thiago breaths. **

'**Moving along, moving along.' Harold shoves us towards a door entering into another carriage. The inside of this carriage is even more exquisite. Tables laden with bottles of all shapes and sizes line the centre of the room. I am intrigued by an enormous bottle of something electric blue labelled "The rising dawn".**

'**This is the bar carriage, you can come here whenever you wish but I hope you don't come here at all, because drunk tributes never last long in the games!' Harold chuckles. Thiago and I exchange grim glances as the train begins to move along the track.**

**We walk through three different carriages, the bar carriage, the dining carriage, and another carriage filled with couches and a huge television that doesn't seem to have any particular purpose before we reach a very small carriage with two separate doors. Harold points Thiago to the right door and me to the left door. **

'**These are your rooms; you have an hour to kill. You may stay in your rooms, go in any of the carriages , basically do whatever you like, but make sure you are back at the dining carriage at two for lunch.' Harold walks out and shuts the door behind him. I look at Thiago and see his eyes shining with tears. **

'**I'm sorry Marina, I really am,' is all he says before he pushes the door to his room open and disappears. I take a deep breath and push the door open to my room. By now, I am used to the luxurious carriages of the train, and don't get so surprised when I open the door to a huge room, with a double bed lined with crisp, white sheets in the centre , a television almost as big as the one in the last carriage, and the biggest wardrobe I have ever seen. I start to explore. I realise that there is sheets of paper all around the room explaining how to work things. There is one above the bed that says "The switch attached to the bed is to make your blankets heat up" and one on the wardrobe saying "The clothes are all arranged in colours, the brighter colours on the right and the darker colours on the left." I then find a door that leads into a huge bathroom with a shower, bath, sink, and a cupboard containing a huge range of makeup, from purple eyeliner to bright yellow lipstick. I turn on the taps that lean over the bath, and realise that hanging above the bath is a basket filled with bottles of something called "shampoo" that sounds familiar, but I just can't put a finger on what it is. I also see a sign above the bath that says "the taps will turn off when the bath is full". I leave the bath running and walk out to get an outfit. I don't bother to get anything fancy, just an orange tunic and black pants. I think of Rouge and her reaping dress as I walk back to the bathroom. I hope mother and father will not allow Rouge to watch the games, however I'm sure they will. When I get back, I find that the taps are off and that the bath is perfectly full. I slip into the warm water and relax. I stay in the bath for about twenty minutes and then get dressed into the outfit I prepared. I am surprised to see that it is already ten to two. I hurry down to the dining carriage for lunch.**


	3. Chapter 3

**When I enter the dining carriage I find that Thiago is already there. Also present is Harold Barber, Savannah Han, Dean Selma and Yvan Mitchells. **

'**Ah Marina! You're finally here! We now just await Seth and Josephine!' Harold greets me brightly.**

'**I must admit I wish that they would hurry up, that roast chicken is going cold!' I look over at the table and my mouth, once again, drops open. The table is laden with dishes of all shapes and sizes. The first thing I notice is the huge roast chicken in the centre of the table, smothered with a thin, sticky brown sauce and roasted garlic cloves. I then notice the huge serving bowl on the right of the chicken, and find that it is filled with dumplings in a yellow broth. I then spy a plate with lots of big pasta shells stuffed with something that smells like some kind of cheese and covered in a something that looks like tomato sauce. I look around and breathe in the rich aromas of everything on the table. Soups, breads, pastas, salads, seafood, chicken, turkey, pork, lamb and a delicious beef and dried prune stew. I am just breathing in the delicious scent of a tray covered in baked mushrooms stuffed with minced prawns and crushed garlic, when the door opens suddenly and in strides Josephine Summers followed by a slightly dazed Seth Oprah.**

'**Sorry we're late, **_**somebody**_** decided to take a little midday nap on the couch, and I of course, had the responsibility to wake them up!' Josephine rolls her eyes. **

'**Oh, now I'm forbidden to sleep! Two days ago, you screamed your head off at me for getting drunk! And yesterday you threw a chicken bone at my head because I ate both the drumsticks! Tomorrow you'll have me for breathing too much!' Seth roars. **

'**Please, please calm down! We have guests!' Seth seems to have gotten all his anger out, and both he and Josephine take their places at the table. I quickly dart to the table and try to get a seat away from both Seth and Josephine. I manage to get one with Harold on my left and Savannah Han on my right. As soon as everyone starts to eat, I eat until I am full to the brim. A wing and a piece of breast from the roast chicken is first. Then a huge serving of the beef stew. Then a small bowl of the dumpling soup. Then another small bowl of tomato soup with a slice of soft white bread. Then a big serving of the most delicious roast pork with clear apple sauce. Then a bowl filled with chicken and pineapple curry. Then a plateful of the pasta shells that turn out to be filled with a creamy, melted cheese that Harold tells me is called Brie mixed with spinach leaves. I am about to push my plate away, but decide to have one prawn-stuffed mushroom, which turns out to be my favourite food of the day. After lunch, I go to explore the train.**

**I am lying down on one of the big, squishy couches in the room that doesn't have a purpose, feeling very sick. I regret eating all that food, because now I feel as though I am going to bring it all back up. Suddenly, in bustles Harold, Thiago and Savannah.**

'**Oh there you are Marina! We are just about to watch the recaps of the other reapings.' Harold exclaims excitedly as though we were about to go to the circus. Not that I've ever been to a circus. **

'**Yes! I can't believe Josephine didn't want to watch!' I hear Savannah's voice for the first time. It is loud and dainty, like a queen. I sit up and as Thiago sits beside me, I notice that he is looking a bit green.**

'**Eat too much?' I ask. He nods and clutches his stomach.**

'**I think I had one too many bowls of chicken-pineapple curry.' We both burst into a round of laughter, and for a second I feel like I'm back home, with Rouge and Alan running crazily around the house. Then Harold's loud voice booms into my mind and I realise I am not at home at all, but on a train that will take me to the Capitol, and from there to the arena where I await my death. **

'**Quiet down you two! The first one's about to come on!' **

**I sit there in silence and watch the other reapings. The first one that comes on is of course District 1. I don't catch the name of the girl, but it is something stupid, I bet. Last year the girl from District 1's name was 'Velvet'. She is very pretty, I have to admit. She has shiny blonde hair and is tall and curvy, about 17. She doesn't at all look scared, but proud. A group of giggling girls cheer her on with some stupid song that goes something like:**

_**Glimmer the shimmer, **_

_**Will be the winner!**_

**The peacekeepers actually have to take one of the girls away before they quiet down. They ask for volunteers, but there is no sound but the wind. They then get on to the boy. This time I can clearly hear his name read out by a man with a bright orange curly wig. **

'**Gem Hartle!' A boy in the crowd quickly begins to walk towards the stage. He climbs the steps. When the Capitol man asks for volunteers, a tall, slim boy with light brown hair has pushes his way in front of the chosen boy, Gem, and say, almost lazily,**

'**I volunteer.' A group of boys from around the area the boy emerged from, begin to say things like "Alright man!" and "Yeah dude!" as though he was going on a holiday. He pushes Gem back into the crowd and takes his place on the platform. **

'**Ah! A volunteer! What is your name, brave man?'**

'**Marvel Keane.' The boy's eyes are shining, but not with tears, as mine were, but with excitement. I can't believe it, although knowing how many times district 1 have won, his odds are good. He looks like a fighter too, though he is very slim he looked like he could throw a spear a kilometre. He shakes hands with the girl and then they are marched off to the justice building. Savannah Han stands up and faces us all.**

'**Well, they are quite the pair, aren't they, the Blondie and the Tallie!'**

**As soon as that is over the seal for district 2 is lighting up the huge television screen. I am still dazed, thinking about Marvel and his desire to go into the arena, and the girl with her giggling cheer squad. But I manage to snap out of it when I see the woman that draws the names for district 2 each year up on the stage, about to pick the name from the female reaping ball. I listened closely to hear the name that she reads out. **

'**Claudia Preston!' I am very surprised to see this girl as she slowly walks towards the stage. She looks terrified, which is not usual for someone from district 2, they are usually busting to get into the arena. But this girl, no. She looks like she is about to cry. When she walks up onto the stage, a tear rolls down her cheek. A sniggering comes from a huge muscly boy with blonde hair. A few people around him whisper and soon the muscly boy and two other boys are laughing their heads off. A sharp voice comes from the crowd of girls behind her. **

'**Oh please, spare us from Preston's little tantrum, I volunteer.' A girl with dark hair walks up to the stage, shoving the other girl, Claudia, off the stage. Claudia stumbles over, which only makes the muscly boy and his friends laugh harder. The girl ascends the steps which take her onto the platform. Before the woman who draws the names can even ask her what her name is, the girl has snatched the microphone from her and says clearly,**

'**My name's Clove. Clove Cutter.'**

**She is quite small, smaller than most of the usual career tributes. But I can tell that she is a fighter. She looks healthy and fit. I'm not sure if she would be strong enough to throw a spear that far, but she might be good with a bow and arrow, or more likely knives. Careers are often very good with knives. The reaping drawer woman, looks very flustered and irritated. She opens her mouth as if to say something, but then, looking at Clove, she closes it again. She quickly moves on to the boy tribute. **

'**Sota Tryon.' A boy begins to walk up on stage. He has brown-blonde hair, and is tall and fairly muscly. His friends shout encouragement to him as he struts towards the stage. Some of the girls whisper and giggle. But he has only taken about five steps, when the huge muscly boy that was laughing at Claudia sort of screams.**

'**No!' He then bounds over the rope fence and lunges in front of the other boy, Sota. **

'**No! Wait! I volunteer! I volunteer! I VOLUNTEER!' The crowd gasps as the boy runs towards the stage, pushing Sota to the ground, so that he scrapes his head. He bounds up the steps and, even more roughly than Clove, grabs the microphone and yells,**

'**Cato Axle!' The crowd breaks into a round of applause. I am stunned by Cato. He seems mad, insane. He looks like he could kill a man with a flick of his wrist. I am now even more scared than ever. I mean, of course I was scared before, but seeing this boy makes me feel, well terrified. I don't want to die at the hands of this monster, who, would probably kill me slowly and painfully. I would rather die at the hands of the girl from district 1, who, even though she seems cruel and vain, would probably just stab me a few times and that would be it. But this boy, no. He looks like he would plunge a knife down my throat, or cut of my legs and leave me to bleed to death. The girl, Clove, and Cato shake hands and leave the stage. The television screen turns black. I realise I am shaking with fear. I look over and see Thiago, staring at the blank Television screen, his mouth wide open in fear. **

'**Well, he looked pretty good didn't he? She looked a bit small, if you ask me, but she sure did have an attitude!' Savannah looked as though she would be doing commentary all the way through. The seal of district 3 illuminates through the room. **

**I am so surprised at the district 2 tributes, that I completely miss the drawing of the girl from district 3. When I finally come to my senses, I find that a woman with bright yellow lipstick and blue hair is about to pick the male tribute. I quickly look at the girl. She is young, I can see. Only 13 or 14. She is standing on the stage, looking extremely distressed. She has light brown hair, pulled back in a tight braid. There is something about her face that is odd. Her eyes are almost completely white, with a small brown circle surrounding her tiny black pupils. I notice another girl, in the crowd, crying. I suddenly realise that the Capitol woman is holding the boys slip of paper. I pull my gaze away from the girl, and focus on the woman. **

'**Toby Pauling.' A small boy, who looks about the same age as the girl, walks up to the platform slowly. He also looks terrified; his eyes are moist, his lips trembling in fear. No one comes forward to volunteer for either of them. As he shakes hands with the girl, I spot something. He whispers something to her. I can see his lips move. I make out the words, "I'm so sorry.'' They look like they are friends. And now they have to kill each other. I suddenly think about trying to become friends with them, once we get to the Capitol, but decide not to befriend anyone, so that if I do make it past the bloodbath, I won't have to kill anyone I really care about, except Thiago. As they are marched off the stage, I catch sight of the girl, trying to escape. She pushes the Peacekeepers aside, and begins to run towards the crowd. A peacekeeper catches her and whips her back. She screams in agony, a long piercing scream that bounces off the walls of the building they are standing in. She begins to sob, long, painful sobs. The boy shoves off the peacekeepers and runs to her side. He pulls her to her feet and then the peacekeepers push her out the door. Tears have formed in my eyes. Those poor children. I feel so sorry for them. Savannah Han does not help by stating 'Well, I doubt either of them will make it far.' A tear slides down my cheek as the seal for district 4 appears on the screen.**


	4. Chapter 4

**The district 4 reaping comes on almost immediately. The woman from the Capitol takes a very long time to pick out the name of the girl. When she does, it's a blonde girl named Molly. The girl walks up onto the stage. **

**'Ah! Lovely. Any volunteers?' A girl puts her hand up. **

**'I volunteer!' She walks up to the stage. Though her height suggests that she is only 16 or 17, her face looks about 20! She has very dark brown hair, and tanned skin. She is of medium height, but she looks strong and muscly. She walked up the steps to the platform.**

**'Ah! A volunteer! We didn't have one of these last year, did we? What is your name, dear?' The girl takes the microphone from the Capitol woman and says,**

**'My name is Maria Parker.' The Capitol woman takes the microphone back and speaks into it.**

**'Well give it up for our brave volunteer, Maria!' The applause is very loud. The girl, Maria, smiles brightly and pumps her fist in the air. I shudder. Who would volunteer for their death? They quickly move onto the boys. A gust of wind comes by just as she reads out the name, so I don't hear it. But when the boy walks up to the stage, I can see that he is very young. I guess that he is about 12, since he is very small. He has orange curly hair and a face covered in freckles. Nevertheless, he doesn't look frightened. Well, he is a career. When they ask for volunteers, I expect someone to come forward to volunteer, but no one does. The boy positions himself on the stage. The Capitol woman, once again, asks for a round of applause. Nobody seems so sure about the boy. But he just stands there, smiling, as though he had been granted an immense privilege. Then it is over and they leave the stage, still smiling. But I catch sight of the boy's smile drop as soon as he's off the stage. **

**'Well, she looked pretty fit, but the boy, well, he needs to put on some weight, doesn't he? The skinny little shrimp!' Savannah was doing her usual commentary, of course.**

**Next, of course, is district 5. I watch, as Harold reaches into the reaping ball and reads out,**

**'Marina Trenche.' I see me, looking at the sky, and then falling to the ground. I see the girl, that goes to my school, catch me before I hit the ground. I see Rouge, in her bright orange dress, break down into sobs as though it was ****_her _****that got chosen. Two peacekeepers walk into the crowd of girls and grab me, dragging me to the stage. I walk up the steps slowly and position myself on the wooden block. Harold stands there smiling.**

**'Well congratulations Marina! You do look very nice in that green dress of yours, and it matches my hair perfectly!' I just stand there, silently, watching the hundreds of faces staring at me. Harold tells them to clap and they do. They then move on to Thiago being drawn. I watch as Harold calls out, **

**'Thiago Crawford,' and Thiago looks around him, then slowly begins to wander through the crowd. He is obviously too slow, because the same peacekeepers that grabbed me grab him and take him to the stage. He slowly ascends the steps, then turns to face the audience. I see his little brother, Alan, run, sobbing, to his father. Then Harold congratulates Thiago, we shake hands, and leave the stage.**

**I am very glad that district 5 is over. I am relieved when Savannah stays silent. We swiftly move on to district 6. Now that we are past the career districts, I relax a bit more. A man named Pan who is apparently friends with Harold, draws the names. I didn't hear the names of either of the tributes. The girl has blonde-brown hair and a determined facial expression. She seems very surprised when her name is called out, but does not look too worried, however this is probably an act. The boy, I notice, looks a lot like Thiago. He has the same, untidy, black hair and bushy, dark eyebrows. Thiago seems to have noticed the resemblance too, and is looking quite distressed. He walks up onto the platform looking quite a lot like his district partner, surprised but not worried. I'm sure the girl's expression is an act, however the boy does look like he would know how to fight. He is medium height and muscly. The Capitol man asks for volunteers, but the crowd is silent. They shake hands and move of the stage and out the door. Of course Savannah is at her usual commentary. **

**'She was an ugly one wasn't she? And he, well, I thought he looked a lot like you Thiago, don't you think?' Thiago sits there in silence, but I can feel him shaking beside me.**

**Next is district 7. District 7 is the only district that always draws the boy's names before the girl's. A man that actually looks quite normal (as far as Capitol folk go), apart from the fact that he has blue lipstick and silver eye shadow, is drawing the names for district 7 this year. He reaches into the male reaping ball and, in the blink of an eye, is holding an unfolded piece of paper in his hands. **

**'Grover Tsui!' After a few moments, a boy emerges from the crowd, looking very shaken and scared. He has a round face and flat black hair, with dark golden brown skin. He also, slightly resembles Thiago. He positions himself on the platform, his eyes swimming with tears. **

**'Any volunteers?' The crowd is silent. He is congratulated by everyone, and then they move onto the girl. The Capitol man, again, picks out a piece of paper before I can blink. I don't catch the name he reads out, but I do pick up a few whispers that sound like they are saying "Ava". The girl that walks forward to the stage looks strong and stocky. She has dirty blond hair in a ponytail. She looks in quite good shape for a fighter, and she doesn't appear to be sad or worried, however it could be an act. No one volunteers for her either. All too soon, it is over and Savannah is, of course is laying on her commentary very thick. **

**'Well, he looked pretty scared didn't he? Doubt he'll last long! And she, well, she looked pretty fit to me!'**

**The seal of district 8 lights up the screen. A woman with pale blue hair welcomes everybody to the reaping. She reaches into the female reaping ball and pulls out a neatly folded piece of paper.**

**'Flax Isabelle.' A girl with long, curly rust-brown hair walks up on stage. She positions herself on the stage and begins to smile and wave to the crowd. The crowd shout encouragement to her. She looks quite young, only 13 to 14, and has bags under her eyes that suggest she hasn't slept in a while. No one volunteer's for her. The Capitol lady then moves on to the boys. She reaches into the reaping ball and pulls out a piece of paper which, unlike the girl's paper, was folded very messily.**

**'Jackson Marking.' A boy saunters up onto the stage and my heart sinks. Though he looks about my age, he is tall, slim and looks very prepared. The fact that he was chosen doesn't seem to faze him in the slightest. He smiles and pumps his fist in the air. The lady from the Capitol asks for volunteers, but of course no one does. Who would think that they have a better chance of surviving than this boy?**

**'Yeah! Yeah!' He and the girl, Flax, shake hands and walk off the stage. My heart is sinking and I feel terrible. If I somehow manage to survive Cato, then I'm pretty sure this boy will stop me in my tracks. **

**'Ooh! Bit of competition there!' Savannah Han, as usual, is staring at the television with a thoughtful expression on her face.**

**District nine's seal of grain replaces the darkness of the television screen. The man from the Capitol doesn't appear to be making an effort to be warm or friendly. He welcomes everyone to the reaping by saying,**

**'Hi everyone, I'm going to pick the people who will go to the Capitol to live, or more likely, die. I've decided to stick with the tradition and do ladies first.' He pulls out a piece of paper and says clearly,**

**'Ah, let's see… Mazie Fielding.' A girl, who I notice looks a lot like me, walks slowly up onto the stage. She has pretty red hair and a face covered in freckles. She looks very scared, but does not cry. No one is willing to volunteer. She seems fairly young, maybe about 13. She watches as the Capitol man pulls out a name from the male reaping ball.**

**'Jacob Blair.' A boy with ashen hair walks up onto the platform. He is rather small, and does not look like one to be worried about. He also, looks very frightened, but does not cry. No one volunteers for him either. I watch as he and the girl, Mazie, shake hands and walk off the stage. I am waiting, of course, for Savannah to say something, but she doesn't. I look over at her and am shocked to see the glitter of tears in her eyes. She does speak, but it is not what I was expecting.**

**'That boy, Jacob, he looked, he looked like m-my son. My son th-that died in the **

**Hu-Hunger Games t-two years ago.' Thiago and I exchange glances. **

**'Now, now Savannah, that was then, this is now.' Harold said. Savannah nods, wipes her eyes, and hurriedly pushes the tape for district 10 in the slot.**

**Of course, the livestock seal is blaring on the screen next. The girl that is picked is a small, scared looking girl named Jessie. She has big brown eyes and dark, red-brown hair. Her height suggests she is about 14, but I can see in her face that she is about 15 or 16. She walks up onto the stage, and begins to cry silently. No one sniggers or laughs, they just look terribly sorry for her. The boy that is picked is a very big, silent looking boy, with a crippled foot. He limps up onto the stage and stands there, silently. Jessie and the boy shake hands and walk, or in the boy's case limp, off the stage. When that is over Savannah still doesn't say anything. **

**Next is district 11. I am glad they are almost over. A man with purple tinged skin and orange lipstick, walks to the centre of the stage and welcomes everybody. He then walks over to the female reaping ball, and sticks his hand in. He pulls it out and says,**

**'Rue Madison.' As the girl slowly walks up to the platform, my heart drops into my stomach. She couldn't possibly be older than 12. She is a tiny thing, with dark skin and black hair in little ringlets around her ears. I want to scream out 'I volunteer!' but of course I can't because this poor girl has already been reaped and is on a train to the Capitol. **

**'Does anyone want to volunteer for this small girl?' I expect someone to come forward and volunteer. But no one does. I can't believe it. No girl in the entire district 11 is taking the place of this poor, innocent girl. Tears spring into my eyes as she walks up to the platform. She is even smaller than Rouge. They quickly move onto the boy tribute. I don't hear his name, but when I see him walking up to the stage, I can tell he will be a threat. He is huge, not quite as muscly as the boy from district 2, but much taller. He has the same dark skin as Rue, but is about 100 times bigger. The Capitol man asks for volunteers. He stands there, and I know that if no one is willing to volunteer for Rue, then certainly no one will volunteer for this boy. They shake hands and walk off the stage. Still Savannah says nothing. I am beginning to think that she will not say anything for a long time. **

**Last of course, is district 12. A woman from the Capitol with pink hair reads out the names. After somebody who I assume is the Mayor reads some dull thing, a man stumbles onto stage and falls into an empty chair. I can tell he is drunk. I realise that this is the victor from district 12. Once the audience is settled down, The Capitol woman welcomes everybody for coming. She walks over to the female reaping ball and plucks out a name.**

**'Primrose Everdeen!' No one is moving. I then see a very, very small girl who, like Rue, cannot be older than 12. She has blonde hair in two braids. I notice the back of her blouse has become untucked. She is as pale as a ghost. She walks with tiny steps up to the platform. But suddenly, another girl, with dark brown hair in a braid, starts screaming.**

**'Prim! Prim no!' The crowd parts and she walks up to the stage, just as she is about to ascend the steps. She pushes the girl, Primrose, behind her, and screams.**

**'I volunteer!' The crowd gasps and those that had not been looking look forward look forward.**

**'I volunteer as tribute.' A whispering ripples through the crowd. District 12 haven't had a volunteer in decades, or ever even. They seem to have forgotten that volunteering is allowed. But the surprise registered on the Capitol woman's face is quickly disguised. **

**'Lovely! But I believe there's a small matter of introducing the reaping winner and then asking for volunteers, and if one does come forth then we, um…' She trails off, as though not sure what to say. **

**'What does it matter? What does it matter? Let her come forward!' The original girl to get chosen has begun to scream.**

**'No! No Katniss No! You can't go!' **

**'Prim, let go.' The volunteering girl pushes the other girl off. **

**'Let go!' A tall boy, 17 or 18 years of age, pulls the girl off and carries her away. **

**'Well, bravo!' Gasps the woman with the pink hair. **

**'That's the spirit of the games! What's your name, dear?' The girl looks like she's fighting back tears.**

**'Katniss Everdeen.' She says. The woman with the pink hair looks as this is a huge surprise.**

**'I bet my buttons that was your sister. Don't want her to steal all the glory, do we?' She then asks everyone to clap for her, but the crowd stays silent. Then something happens, everyone begins to press the three middle fingers on their left hand and hold it out towards her.**

**'Suddenly, the drunken victor stumbles off his chair and staggers over to the girl, Katniss.**

**'Look at her, look at this one!' He throws his arm around her shoulder.**

**'I like her! Lots of… spunk!' He announces to the audience.**

**'More than you! More than you!' He shouts, pointing towards where the cameras are obviously situated. I am very shocked. This man must be very, very drunk. I mean, he's taunting the Capitol! He is about to continue, but then he falls off the stage, and is knocked unconscious. The Capitol woman booms into the microphone, obviously hoping to take the focus off the drunk victor by announcing that she is about to reap the boy tribute. She walks quickly over to the male reaping ball, and then before I even have time to look at the audience, she reads the name.**

**'Peeta Mellark.' A boy with waxy blonde hair and muscles walks onto the stage. He is stockily built and of medium height. I can see him struggling to remain emotionless. He takes his place.**

**'Any volunteers?' No one comes forward. They shake hands and it is all over. **

**'Well, what did you think? Reckon you can beat 'em? In my opinion, the boy from two looked like competition, and perhaps the boy from eight.' Harold is grinning at us like we've been awarded a medal. I don't know what to say. Luckily, Thiago steps in.**

**'I agree with you. Also the boy from 11, surprisingly, seems pretty strong.' He is a very good actor, acting as though he is actually trying to prepare for the games. I think he's acting, anyhow. I guess I'll just have to wait and see. **


	5. Chapter 5

**'Well, it's about five thirty. We should be at the Capitol in three to four hours, so of course, you won't be sleeping on the train. We should reach it at about nine. You can do whatever you like until we get there, but please be back here at about eight.' **

**'Really?' I ask. 'Only two or three hours? That's much quicker than I expected. I expected us to be staying the night.' **

**'Oh, no. District 5 is one of the closest districts to the Capitol.' Harold smiles at me as if I am a young child. **

**'I always imagined the districts to be in a line. Like, district 1 is the closest, and district 12 the last.' I almost forget Thiago is there. **

**'Well, laddie, you're right about something. District 1 is the closest and district 12 is the furthest away, but the rest of the districts are scattered about.' Harold says proudly. **

**'The only districts closer to the Capitol than district 5 is as I said, 1, but also 8 and, well, district 5 is sort of tied with 2.' Harold lowers his voice.**

**'By the way, if you want to win the games, my advice is to track down the others, Seth and Josephine and Savannah and Dean and Yvan.' I nod and say I will. Thiago does the same.**

**'Good kids.' Harold says as though we are five years old. He then gives us one last smile, and walks briskly out of the room. **

**'So, are you actually going to track down the others?' Thiago asks. I think back to lunch and Josephine screaming at Seth.**

**'Maybe just Savannah, Josephine seems sort of…' I trail off, unable to find a word to fit in.**

**'Arrogant?' Thiago suggests.**

**'Exactly.' **

**'Well, I guess I'll see you at eight or so.'**

**'Yeah see you.' He walks out, leaving me alone in a huge carriage with a television and three couches.**

**True to my word to Thiago and Harold, I begin to try to find Savannah. I wander among the carriages, and see not a single person. I eventually find Savannah, sitting in the so-called "Gallery Carriage", which I have to admit is very beautiful. Beautiful paintings of ponds and valleys and castles and flowers and also quite a lot of people's impressions of the Capitol. Some people paint huge buildings reaching to the sky in every colour of the rainbow, yellow, purple, red, blue, orange, pink and green. Others paint streets alive with movement, wigs and lipstick and tattoo covered people walking down the sidewalks. Savannah is sitting on one of the blue velvet chairs that line the room. She is staring attentively at a painting of a snow-capped mountain covered in flowers bursting into bloom, becoming every colour of the rainbow. She doesn't appear to notice me come in. I am about to give a small cough, when she speaks.**

**'I'm tipping you're here for advice? Probably sent here by Barber, weren't you?' It takes me a few moments to realise that "Barber" is Harold. **

**'Yeah, so, are you going to give me advice or not?' The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them.**

**'I suppose, but I've discovered over the years that being coached with your district partner and his mentors helps a lot. A lot of the time, tributes don't know their own strengths, but they know their district partners strengths well.' I look at her quizzically. **

**'But won't that mean that we'll know each other's strengths and weaknesses, which makes it easier for them to kill each other?' I ask.**

**'Yes it does, and it is up to you, but I'm just saying that it is often easier to mentor the tributes together.' Savannah seems nicer than I expected. **

**'Well, I do know Thiago…' I venture.**

**'Really? Well that will make it much easier to mentor you, if you are willing to be mentored together.' **

**'I suppose, but I'm not sure what Thiago will want.' I say, even though I'm pretty sure he will say yes. 'And plus, I have no idea where he or any of the others are.' **

**'Well, how about this. I could ask one of the serving boys to go around to each carriage and tell everyone to meet in the television carriage at seven thirty, instead of eight. Then, at the very least, we would have half an hour to observe you and find out your obvious strengths.' I have to admit, Savannah does have a way of persuading things into you. I wonder if that's how she won the games. I suddenly remember something that I saw someone say in an interview one year. **

**'Savannah, I was wondering if the tributes have access to the tapes of previous Hunger Games?' I ask.**

**'Well, yes, I think you do, you should be able to find them in a box in the television carriage. But, which one are you thinking of watching, and, why did you suddenly change the subject?' She reproaches sharply.**

**'I'm sorry, I meant to say that I would love you to do that, and I'm sure Thiago will be fine with being coached together.' I say, scared that she is going to lash out at me.**

**'Okay, but which Hunger Games are you thinking of watching?' Savannah asks suspiciously. I quickly do a calculation in my head.**

**'I was wondering about… the 60th.' I say softly. Savannah's head jerks sharply to the side, and I am afraid that I have said completely the wrong thing, but then her expression softens.**

**'Very well, but please don't think too badly about me when you see it.' Her words are barely audible. **

**'Thank you.' I leave the room, and head down to the carriage that Savannah calls the "Television carriage." When I get there, I find a box filled with tapes labelled each different Hunger Games. I find the one labelled "60****th**** Hunger Games, Victor Savannah Han." I push it into the tape slot and begin to watch. **

**First it shows the reaping. I am very surprised to see that Harold Barber is still drawing the reaping names. He reaches into the reaping ball and calls out, **

**'Savannah Hutchings.' I gasp as I see Savannah walk up to the stage. She has curly brown hair, and is tall and muscular. She ascends the steps to the stage, and positions herself on the platform. Her face is blank, as though nothing has changed, but I know that her life will never be the same. **

**'Any volunteers?' Harold asks, but he doesn't have to because there is no sound but the wind whistling in the trees. **

**'Congratulations miss, um,' He looks down at the slip of paper in his hand. 'Miss Savannah.'**

**'Now for the boys.' He walks over to the other reaping ball. **

**'Isaac Mannes.' A skinny, poor looking boy walks up to the stage. He wipes his nose on his sleeve. The shock off the moment registers on his face, and he tries to cover it up, without success. He positions himself on the platform, and I see his full height, and realise that he must be only 12 or 13. He has a runny nose and watery eyes. He positions himself on the platform, and a little boy says to his dad,**

**'Daddy, why is Isaac up there on stage?' And the dad says,**

**'Well, he has to go away for a while, buddy.' When Harold asks for a round of applause, the little boy claps loudly. I feel so sorry for him, he will never see his brother again and yet he doesn't even know it. They shake hands and are marched off to the Justice building. **

**The next thing that comes on is the chariot ride into the City Circle. The outfit that they are wearing, well it's quite odd. On someone as skinny and snivelly as Isaac, it looks horrible. But on a pretty, tall girl like Savannah, it looks amazing. They are wearing gold suits, covered in huge fake yellow gems. The light reflects off them, causing the illusion that they are covered in billions of glittering light bulbs, which represents district 5's job, which is to power the whole of Panem. I always thought that since we power everywhere in Panem, we would get hot water. But still only career districts such as 1, 2 and 4 get proper hot water. I don't think it makes any sense, but the rest of Panem seems to. Savannah's hair is elaborately placed in an elegant twist on top off her head. The stylist had obviously tried to do something with Isaac's dirty blonde hair, with failed results. He waves at the crowd, his hair sticky out at odd angles set in place by some substance that is encrusted around his ear. Savannah looks tall and elegant, Isaac small and vulnerable. The crowd are going wild for Savannah, showering her with flowers of all shapes and sizes. They shout her name to the beat of the music. I catch a glimpse of districts 4 and 6. The tributes from 4 are draped with shreds of blue and green fabric, supposedly representing the sea. They too, seem to be popular with the crowd. The tributes from 6 look terrible. They each have a steering wheel stuck to their backs, and, though their stylists had obviously tried to make them look desirable by dressing them in sparkling black tunics and making their hair sparkle, they are nothing compared to district 5 or 4. **

**After the chariot ride comes the interviews with Caesar Flickerman. Savannah is wearing a beautiful sunset orange dress that melts away to become pale yellow on the hem. Caesar asks her many questions.**

**'So Savannah, how did you feel when you heard your name get called out at the reaping?' 'I didn't care, I will come home after two minutes and my district will be proud of me!' **

**'Well, you seem very confident, which is very important when you enter the arena, and I must admit, the nine you scored in training is very good! So, what did you think of the costume you wore for the chariot ride?'**

**'I thought it was brilliant, Cleo did a really great job!' The crowd cheers and she stands up and blows kisses out to them. They scream and jump crazily about, as though one kiss from her was worth millions of dollars.**

**'Well, the audience seems to think so to, and I must admit, that gold suit you were wearing was just breathtaking! And this dress you're wearing right now is just gorgeous! I mean, look at it!' She sits down and fluffs up the skirt, so that it sits around her hips. It reminds me painfully of Rouge's reaping dress, but I manage to push the thought out of my mind. He asks her a few more questions, what was going to be her tactic, what did she think of the other tributes, if she had a boyfriend and so on. But then he asks her another question.**

**'Who is your favourite person in your life?' **

**'Well, I have to say, my older brother. His name is Brites, and he is the best person in my life.'**

**'Why do you love him so much?' **

**'He is an amazing teacher, a quick learner, and is the kindest, most helpful person I've ever met.' **

**'Well thank you so, so much Savannah, we are all looking forward to seeing you in that arena, we are all sure that you will do your older brother proud!' **

**'Thank you very much Caesar, I will try my hardest to win for you!' She waves and blows kisses to the crowd, who go wild and scream her name. She leaves the stage. **

**The next scene of course, is in the arena. Savannah rises out of the ground in her plastic tube. I look around to see what kind of climate she has been put into. It's a hot, dry desert with pools of water here and there, and small clumps of bushes that would only conceal someone as little as a 12-year-old. There doesn't appear to be any kind of shelter anywhere. The golden horn of the Cornucopia in the centre of the circle of tributes, with supplies scattered here and there. I look to try and see what kind of supplies there are. I can see several swords, hanging on the wall of the Cornucopia. I only count 5 backpacks, which means that only five tributes or less will get food, but I then realise that there is also packets of dried fruit and nuts scattered around the Cornucopia. There are also about 3 sets of bow and arrows. They are the only weapons I can see. I am surprised that they have no knives. A lot of tributes depend on knives as their weapons, since they are small but deadly. You can hide a knife easily in a small pocket, whereas a sword or bow and arrow can be seen by all. Savannah is staring intently at the swords. I was surprised by this, I'm not sure why though, I just didn't imagine Savannah to be the sword type. The voice of Claudius Templesmith booms out over the arena, counting down from sixty. He is down to fifteen. But the biggest surprise happens even before the gong sounds. Just as Claudius is counting nine, out of the corner of my eye I see someone move. I look over to see that it is Isaac, the boy tribute from district 5. I watch in horror, as he screams,**

**'I can't do this!' And steps off his metal plate. The ground beneath him explodes and when the smoke subsides there is nothing left off him but a few pieces of singed flesh.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Savannah is screaming.**

**'NO ISAAC! NO!' Tears are pouring down her face, and I find this odd, since she did not seem to have any connection with Isaac at all. But even I am filled with horror. All I can think about is Isaac's little brother, running to his father after Isaac got reaped. I suddenly realise that the gong has sounded. Savannah has stopped screaming and is already halfway to the Cornucopia with a determined expression on her face, but still tears are falling from her eyes. She is fast, I can see that. She is the first one to reach the swords on the wall. He reaches for a huge sword with a smooth, sharp blade, and then grabs another smaller one with a serrated edge. Suddenly, a boy, who looks like he must be a career, runs up behind her, yelling madly. She turns around and grabs him by the scruff of his neck. **

**'Whatcha gonna do with me? Huh? Hey, I know you! You're the one from the same district as that idiotic coward who stepped of his metal plate before the gong rang!' The boy says sneeringly. **

**'THAT LITTLE BOY WAS NOT A COWARD, HE JUST DIDN'T WANT TO FIGHT IDIOTS LIKE YOU!' Savannah screamed at the top of her lungs. She now had the boy pinned up against the Cornucopia, the large sword pointing at his throat.**

**'I didn't mean that! Please, let me go! We can band together, just please don't kill me!' The career boy pleaded.**

**'I BET YOU DIDN'T MEAN THAT, I BET YOU DIDN'T!' Savannah was past frustrated, past angry. She was insane. She plunged the sword into his chest and he screamed and slumped to the ground. She then ran over and scooped up a large dark blue backpack and a pack of dried fruit. I expect her to leave and run away, but she ran straight into the brutal battle that was raging outside the Cornucopia. She ran over to where a girl was stabbing an arrow into another girl's heart, then pulling it out again and stabbing it in again. She shoved the girl off the body that was most obviously dead, and began to wrestle with the girl. Soon enough, Savannah was pushing her to the ground by her hair. The girl started pleading for her life, but it was no use. Savannah blocked her voice by pushing her fist into the girl's windpipe. **

**'DO YOU THINK I'M GOING TO LET YOU GO? DO YOU? CAUSE IF YOU DO THEN YOU WOULD BE WRONG!' She jammed the large sword, which was still dripping with the blood of the career boy, into the girl's throat. The girl attempted to scream but all that came out was a gurgling cry. Blood started to flow out of her mouth and her chest eventually stopped rising and falling, signalling her death. **

**I watch, horror struck, as Savannah killed four other people. She slit the throat of a small girl as she was attempting to escape with nothing but a pack of dried fruit. She stabbed another huge girl who I was almost certain was a career in the back with the small sword. She plunged the large sword into the stomach of a boy with curly blonde hair. And just as she was running away from the Cornucopia, she grabbed a boy about to escape and sliced into his chest. He fell into a crumpled heap on the ground, screaming in agony. Once she had left the horn, she ran as far away as she could. After jogging for what I estimate to be about five hours, she sat down, breathing heavily. She opened the back backpack which she had collected outside the Cornucopia. She was just pulling out the first item, when the cannons begun to sound. She counted on her fingers. Of course she knew there would be at least eight, she had killed six, she had seen the first girl she killed stabbing another girl with an arrow and of course Isaac had stepped off his metal plate before the gong. But the cannons went for a long time, until they reached fifteen. I was shocked. Fifteen tributes in the first day? That must be some kind of record. Only nine tributes left! After one more death, the friends and family of each tribute would be interviewed. Savannah looked quite pleased with the amount of deaths, however not the kind of pleased you would feel when you got a new toy, but the kind of hopeful pleased where you want something so desperately and your chances of getting it had just improved. **

**After the cannons had ended, she lay out the items she found in the backpack. She finds a large water skin, a packet of raw chicken pieces, a box of matches, a pair of glasses which from sight look like regular sunglasses, but I know they actually let you see in total darkness, another packet of dried fruit, however this time mixed with nuts, a thick sleeping bag and a first aid kit containing three bandages and a bottle of some sort of thick, sticky substance that Savannah rubs onto the bruises she received while battling it out at the Cornucopia. She stuffs everything back into the pack, and hooks the swords onto her belt. She walked for about another hour until she reached what she seemed to think was a good place to set up camp. It is on top of a sand dune, next to a row of bushes, and just above a small pool of water. She first walked down to fill her water skin. I see the reason that she found no iodine in her backpack. The water looks crystal clear, no plants or algae growing up from the bottom. She filled her skin and jogged back up to the top of the dune, gulping water as she went. By now the sky was growing dark. She took the sleeping bag out of the pack, zipped it up and placed it carefully in a place in the bushes, so that so no one could see it, but she would be able to grab it quickly if she needed to make a quick escape. She wriggled into the sleeping bag and drunk a few mouthfuls of water. After what I guess to be forty-five minutes, the seal of the Capitol lights up the sky. The anthem plays and then the images of the tributes that have died are shown on the screen. The first face to come up is the girl from 1. I recognise her as the huge girl that Savannah stabbed in the back. Next is the boy from 1. I recognise him as the boy with blonde curly hair that Savannah stabbed in the stomach. Next is the boy from 3, I guess both the tributes from 2 made it. Then comes the boy from 4, who was Savannah's first kill. Next of course, is Isaac. I notice a small, choked cry escaping from Savannah's throat when the image of him is projected up into the sky. Then both from 6. The boy from 7, who was slit in the chest by Savannah just as she was leaving the bloodbath. Both from eight. The girl from 9, I notice she was the first girl Savannah killed. Both from 10, the girl was the small girl who got her throat slit by Savannah. And finally both from 12, I am almost sure the girl from 12 was stabbed with the arrow by the girl from 9. The seal of the Capitol reappears and then the sky turns black. Savannah begins to mutter under her breath, and I realise she is figuring out who's left. Both from 2, the girl from 3, the girl from 4, herself, the girl from 7, the boy from 9, and both from 11. She then settles down to sleep.**

**Savannah is awoken by the sound of a scream. She sits bolt upright, shaking. A few minutes later, the cannon fires. She quickly pulls herself out of her sleeping bag and stuffs it and the water bottle into her pack. She hoists the pack onto her shoulder and stands up, scanning the landscape. I hear voices and I can tell she hears them too, because she spins around towards the place where they are coming from. I expect to see the career pack running towards her, but I am quite wrong. I am very surprised when I see the girl from 7 and the girl from 3. They are cackling away at something. They suddenly spot Savannah, and begin to yell excitedly. They run towards her, and they are only about twenty metres away from her, when suddenly one of them stops and screams, pointing to Savannah. Why are they pointing to her? I wonder. Then I realise that they were pointing to someone behind Savannah. Savannah looks around and sees the career pack heading straight for her.**

** She begins to run in the opposite direction, towards where the two girls are standing, frozen to the spot. The career pack has only 3 people in it, the girl and boy from 2 and the girl from 4, but all of them are heavily laden with weapons and supplies. Savannah runs straight past the two girls, who finally manage to come to their senses and begin to run. The girl from 7 is almost as fast as Savannah, but the girl from 3 quickly falls behind. I see the pack stop and grab the girl from 3 from her behind. She struggles and screams,**

**'LINDA! LINDA PLEASE HELP ME!' The girl from district 7 hesitates, but then keeps running. Both Savannah and the district 7 girl, Linda, stop when they reach the top of a huge sand dune. They look back on the scene. The girl from district 3 is being held by one of the girls. The boy is standing there, examining the girl from 3, as though she were a piece of meat. I can hear him speak.**

**'Now, what shall we do with you. Shall we stab her, or cut off her arms? What do you think, Alana?' The girl who was not holding the girl from 3 answered.**

**'Cut off her arms and legs! Then she won't be able to move at all!' **

**'Good idea Alana.' He pulled a heavy sword from his belt. The girl from 3 loses it.**

**'LINDA, PLEASE! I BEG YOU LINDA, HELP ME PLEASE!' Linda begins to run down the sandy slope, but then changes her mind and runs back up. I know what is coming. I cover my eyes with my hands, but that doesn't stop the scream of agony from the girl from 3 reaching my ears. When I think it's stopped, I take my hand away from my eyes. I find, to my horror, that the boy from 2 is still sawing through her leg. She screams, one last scream that makes me want to kill myself, and then the career pack leaves her. I catch one last glimpse of her mangled body drowning in blood, and then the camera focuses upon Savannah and Linda, who are running for their lives. **

**They run down the other side of the steep dune. Though Savannah is fast, the career pack, though laden with supplies, are faster. They catch up to the girls quickly. One of the career girls, the one the boy was calling Alana, reaches out and grabs the waist of Linda. Linda begins to scream. The other girl reaches out and grabs the hem of Savannah's blouse. Then something very unexpected happens. Savannah pulls the sword from her belt, and turns around. She stabs the sword every which way, eventually plunging into the career girl's upper arm. The girl screams and drops to her knees. The other two don't appear to care at all when her blood starts trickling onto the ground, staining the sand red. Suddenly, the cannon fires. I realise it must be the girl from 3. I am surprised that she lasted that long, I would have thought she would die instantly. Alana is still holding the girl from 7, who is screaming hysterically. Savannah pushes the career girl with the arm wound onto her stomach, and plunges the knife into her back. A few seconds later, the cannon fires, signalling her death. Savannah then begins to run away. Linda screams for help but Savannah doesn't look back.**

**After a few minutes, the cannon fires, and I know it must be Linda. I am shocked. 15 deaths on the first day, and 4 deaths on the second? Only 5 people left on the second day! It must really be a record. Savannah runs for what I think is about 4 hours, though I really have no idea. She changes between going straight and right, so that the remaining career tributes will find it hard to hunt her down. Luckily there is lots of wind so her footprints will be erased. She finally stops and sits down, next to a large dam of crystal clear water. She takes off her boots and socks and dives into the water. She combs her hair through with her fingers and pulls it into a high ponytail. She eventually gets out, and continues walking for a little while longer. She sees it before I do. A huge clump of bushes, easy enough to conceal Savannah in. She sets up a bed in the centre of the clump. It is dusk, a perfect time to light a fire. This thought must have occurred to Savannah too, because she begins to break branches from the bushes and pile them up. She pulls the matches out of her pack and strikes a match. The fire blooms quickly and she pulls the chicken pieces out of her pack and pushes a few of them onto a stick and toasts them on the fire. She eats them and then stamps out the flames, just as the Capitol seal appears in the sky, and the anthem plays. The sky shows first the girl from 3, then the girl from 4, who must have been the career girl Savannah killed, Linda the girl from 7, and finally the boy from 11, who must have been killed this morning by either the girl from 3 and Linda, or the careers. Only 5 tributes left. Both from 2, of course Savannah herself, the boy from 9 and the girl from 11. Savannah wriggles into her pre-made bed and goes to sleep. **

**Over the next three days, Savannah doesn't encounter anyone. The girl from 11 dies on the second morning, presumably hunted down by the careers or something else like that. On the fourth morning however, Savannah awakens to see the boy from 9 trekking across the desert. She is safely concealed in her clump of bushes, however even so she packs her bag and begins to track him. I can see he has a bow and a quiver containing a small amount of arrows, and a backpack slightly smaller that Savannah's. After tracking him for about a day, he eventually spots her. He loads an arrow and attempts to shoot her, however she ducks and it sails over her head. He shoots four more arrows at her, and then realises he has none left. He begins to run, but is much slower than Savannah. She throws the sword and it slices the back of his neck open. He falls to the ground and after a few minutes the cannon fires. From then on, Savannah keeps on the move. After 2 days of walking aimlessly, the voice of Claudius Templesmith invites them to a feast at the Cornucopia. I'm very surprised when Savannah immediately changes direction and begins to walk that way. I am surprised that she knows the way back to the Cornucopia, but then I realise that she must be close to the Cornucopia because if she wasn't, the Gamemakers would have realised that the career's would get there first and there would be no fight. It is fully dark and the anthem has been played when she finally reaches the Cornucopia. There is a clump of bushes just like the one she found before that forms a ring around the general area where the Cornucopia is situated. **

**Suddenly, the door is shoved open. I scream and imagine everything that invades my nightmares coming to attack.**


	7. Chapter 7

**'Marina, what's wrong?' Harold Barber has just entered the room and I, stupidly, thought he was a monster. I register that other people are there too, and realise that it must be seven thirty, and time to start being mentored. **

**'What were you doing?' I look at Savannah for help and she imitates slicing her neck. I know what she means. Lie.**

**'Oh I was just watching the other reapings again.'**

**'Really? To me it looked like you were-'**

**'Okay! Time to start mentoring!' Savannah cuts across Harold to stop him asking questions. **

**Josephine and Savannah come over to me. They observe every inch of my body, which makes me feel slightly uncomfortable. Occasionally they make a comment like,**

**'That might be useful.' Or something less kind such as 'That's not going to attract sponsors at all.' After about ten minutes of checking me, Thiago and I both sit down on one of the couches, they shift another one and sit opposite us. **

**'We'll start with Thiago. Marina, if there's something you want to say about him that he's not saying, just say it.' Yvan Mitchells voice is surprisingly soft and comforting. **

**'Well… um, I don't really know. I mean, I can wrestle okay, but that's about it.'**

**'Okay? Thiago I've seen you take down a boy about five years older than you! And you've wrenched a huge solar panel from someone's roof with your bare hands!' I can't help myself from blurting out these things.**

**'Good! Good! Physical strength gives you an advantage in the arena! This is good!' Dean Selma sounds as if he's hit a jackpot. Like we finally might have a winner after 14 years of waiting. I have to admit, though Thiago's odds of winning are slim, he is very strong and I really have seen him take down a boy about 5 years older than him. They discuss Thiago's strengths for about twenty minutes, and then of course, move onto me. **

**'So, same things apply to you Thiago. If you want to say something, just say it. After all, if it wasn't for Marina, we really wouldn't know much about you.' Yvan Mitchells voice is making me sleepy. I'm not sure why. I snap my eyes open and focus.**

**'So Marina. What can you do?' **

**'I really don't know. I can't think of-'**

**'She's cunning. Smart. She can think of a fool proof plan in seconds. Oh, and she can run like the wind and she's very good at hiding.'**

**'Thiago, being smart, fast and good at hiding isn't going to help me at all.' **

**'No! Thiago's right Marina! They are very good skills to have in the arena.' I am beginning to like Savannah a lot. Not so much Josephine though.**

**'Dream on, Sav. Marina's isn't going to stand a chance by knowing the answer to one plus one.'**

**'No, that's not what I meant. Marina's smart at thinking up plans. At finding answers. All that kind of stuff.' This argument goes on between Thiago, Josephine and Savannah for about 10 minutes until Josephine gets up and storms out of the room saying,**

**'Fine! Sav can coach her by herself. I'm fed up with this place!' To tell you the truth I am relieved. Josephine seems arrogant and mean. Not the kind of person I'd want to be friends with. **

**'Well, now that she's gone, I think we have something to work with. We're not supposed to think you up an "Angle" until your interview, but I think we'll think of that now. That way, you can play up your angle in the Chariot Ride as well.' I am glad Savannah has thought of this.**

**'Okay.' Is all I say. **

**'So, for you Marina, I'm thinking sly and mysterious, maybe a touch elusive. Never giving a straight answer, but making the audience take a while to puzzle your answer out.' I never would have thought of that, but to me it sounds great. Sly and elusive. That's easy. It's how I act at school. I have no friends, but by acting sly, it seems as though I have no friends by choice, so I don't get teased. **

**'For you Thiago,' continues Yvan, 'We are thinking strong but not silent and hostile, we want you to be involved, crack a few jokes, smile and wave, and make the audience love you.' **

**'Okay, that sounds fine.' Thiago says, sounding relieved.**

**'More than fine, great!' I add. **

**'Okay we are pulling into the station now. You will be immediately taken to the remake centre, where you will spend the night. Tomorrow your stylists and prep team will get you ready for the Chariot Ride, which will be tomorrow night, but whatever you do, don't protest no matter ****_what_**** your stylists and prep team do to you.'**

**'Sure!' I say as I rush to the window.**

**Though it is dark, the Capitol looks amazing. Bright lights in florescent colours light up the streets that are alive with movement. Large crowds of people begin to swarm closer to the train, trying to get a glimpse of our faces. I decide to begin to play my part and be sly. I smile mysteriously and give one small wave before the train pulls into the station, blocking them from view. **

**'That was good Marina! Really good, in fact!' Savannah pats me on the back. I decide that I like Savannah. I know that if I want sponsors, Savannah will have to help me get them. We step out of the train and into an elevator. Harold is the only person still accompanying us- all the others went to the training centre where we will be staying until the games begin. I have never been in an elevator before. When it goes up there is a swooping sensation in my stomach. The elevator stops and we step out and begin walking through a hall lit brightly with an unnaturally shiny floor. We enter a room with two separate doors, each one unnaturally colourful. **

**'I have to go to the training centre now, tomorrow your prep team will come and collect you. I'll see you tomorrow night at the training centre after the Chariot Ride.' Harold says, pointing me to the left door and Thiago to the right. I walk in, and compared to some of the things I've seen, it's not all that breathtaking. I don't bother to change into a nightgown, just jump into bed and fall asleep almost instantly.**

**'Up, up, up! You've got a big day ahead of you!' My eyelids flutter open and I find myself face-to-face with a slightly orange face covered in purple tattoos. I yelp in confusion and then realise that this must be someone from my prep team. I sit up and see two other ridiculous looking figures standing back. My prep team consists of two boys and one girl. They hand me a thin white robe to where and then lead me through the shiny hallways of the remake centre. After walking for about 5 minutes, I am shoved through a door marked "District 5." Inside is a large room with blinding white walls. In the centre of the room is a large silver table. The robe is removed from me and I stand there, feeling awkward. The girl speaks.**

**'Hello Marina, we are your prep team. I'm Sabrina, this is Leto,' she says, gesturing towards the man with the orange tinged skin and purple tattoos, 'And this is Cassius. Your stylist will be Cleo, but we have to address the worst problems before she sees you.' I think back to watching Savannah's interview and remember after being asked about her chariot ride costume, she said; "I thought it was brilliant, Cleo did a really great job!" I am happy that I have the same stylist as Savannah. Her costume was brilliant, so hopefully mine will be too. **

**'Now, you are not too dirty, so we won't have to do the full body scrub, but maybe just a mild wash.' Sabrina says. She spends about twenty minutes fussing over a huge bucket of water, adding a drop of this and a cap full of that. Eventually she brings over a bucket filled with a thick, foamy looking substance. **

**'Right, scrub her up Cassius.' Out of the three people in my prep team, Cassius looks the most normal. Leto has his orange skin and purple tattoos, and Sabrina has gold lips, purple hair and matching face paint. Cassius however, has nothing odd but midnight blue lipstick and a faint blue to his hair. He doesn't speak as he dips a sponge into the bucket and begins to scrub my naked body. **

**After half an hour of being scrubbed with the foamy liquid, I am finally "exceptionally clean". I feel as though I have just taken a bath in butter. My whole body is greasy. **

**'Now for the nails and hair.' Leto is in charge of this job. He pulls out a leather case filled with nail scissors, nail files, and lots of other instruments that I don't recognise. **

**'Can I please put my robe back on, just for this bit?' I ask irritably. **

**'Well, I suppose.' I slip into the white robe and sit on the edge of the metal table. The robe prevents me from slipping off. Leto snips, files and "buffs" my nails for about half an hour, until they are "nicely shaped." He then begins to do my hair. He soaks my hair in water and then lathers it up in cold foam. It is then covered with a thin purple liquid that I am scared will dye my hair purple. After all that is rinsed off he sprays it with a clear, **

**sweet-smelling spray. The knots are brushed out, and my hair is blow dried. It feels soft and silky. **

**'Now for the hard part.' **

**'What?' I ask.**

**'We need to rid your body of hair.'**

**'What? Why?' It sounds awful.**

**'Well you can't have a hair covered body, can you now?' Sabrina pipes in her thick accent. I stay silent. I am instructed to take off my robe again, and lie down on the metal table. It is freezing when I lie down. Sabrina dips a strip of white fabric in a thick, gluggy liquid and places it on my skin. She presses it down for about thirty seconds.**

**'Now, this might hurt a tiny bit.' I prepare myself for the pain. She rips the strip of fabric from my arm. It is much more painful than I expected. I can't help myself from crying out.**

**'Ouch!' **

**'Now, now, no whinges anymore.' She dips another strip in and pulls up another swath of red arm hair. **

**Within an hour, all the hair from my arms, legs, torso, underarms, back and some from my eyebrows is gone. I feel sore and much smaller than before. I look down at my arms and find that they look very odd without their usual thin, red hairs. My body is tingling. I managed to go through the whole process without crying out again, because I remember the promise I made to Savannah. Leto and Cassius cover me with another greasy liquid which stings at first, but after a few minutes it soothes my skin. Sabrina plucks the last few hairs from me with the tweezers. I am feeling rather awkward, but I know that I will just have to suck it up.**

**'There we go! You look great, but by the time Cleo's through with, you, you'll look amazing!' Leto squawks in his high Capitol voice. **

**'Yes! Let's go and get Cleo now!' The three of them leave the room chittering excitedly like a group of oddly coloured birds. I pull the robe back on, even though I am sure that Cleo will make me remove it. **

**After about ten minutes, the door slides open and a woman enters. She has gold tattoos up one arm and overly bright pink lipstick, but apart from that she looks fairly normal. She seems familiar, probably because I have seen her on television. A lot of the stylists are interviewed when the games begin. **

**'Hello Marina, I am Cleo, your stylist.' Though her voice is quiet, it still has the silly Capitol flare to it. **

**'Can I ask you to remove your robe? You can put it back on after.' I slip out of my robe and stand still. She walks around me for a few minutes, observing every inch of my body. I feel even more awkward now, but I manage to stand stock-still until she finally speaks.**

**'Well Marina! Your best feature that I can see is your hair. It really is a beautiful shade of red isn't it? And your eyes! Those sparkling green eyes! You are very pretty!' I am surprised, and very pleased by this. **

**'Put on your robe, and come with me.' I step into my robe and follow her into a room with two small blue couches facing each other. A small table is between them, and beside them is a huge glass window that provides a view of the Capitol. Tall, bright buildings is all I can see, stretching for miles and miles. I sit on one of the couches and Cleo sits on the other.**

**'Are you hungry?' **

**'Yes.' I wonder if she is going to call a serving boy, but she just presses a button on the side of the table, and suddenly the table splits and sitting there is our lunch.**


End file.
